10 January 2009

The Omnipotence of Grace

I've just discovered the most fascinating book, called The Waiting Father, by twentieth century German theologian Helmut Thielicke. Another one left to me by my grandfather. It's a series of sermons preached in Hamburg on Jesus' parables. Up to three thousand came to hear him at a point of extreme spiritual poverty in the city. I want to put up some of the best bits in the days ahead.

For now, here's a statement from the last of over 400 written works by Adolf Schlatter, a series of biblical-theologically rich devotionals called Do We Know Jesus?, written in the 1930s in part to deconstruct Nazi sympathies among his fellow Germans (though he was raised in Switzerland). It's on Jesus' statement in Matt 19 that it is impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom.

Jesus could not get through to people, not only because a caesar who demanded divine worship for himself got in the way, and the Pharisees blocked people's way to God, and the teachers of the Law by their scholarship choked out life. [note to self: scholarship plus my fallen heart minus fierce clinging to the gospel equals choking out life] No, his word also appears unbelievable and his offer without value if nature comes to man's aid and his natural cravings take their proper course, so that he calls a large piece of property his own and accumulates worldly goods and takes full control of his life.

But the final note is:

Above the impossibilities of our own making stands the omnipotence of grace, and there is no "impossible" that precludes its saving work.

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A human being. Living with my dear wife and five delightful offspring in Wheaton, Illinois. Senior VP for Bible Publishing at Crossway. More messed up than this blog will let on. I live (2 Cor 5:15) to delight in (Ps 37:4) and display (1 Tim 1:16) the glory (Rom 15:8-9) of the grace (Eph 1:6) of God in Christ (Col 1:15). Saddle up.

My Portion

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust--there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. For the LORD will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.--Lamentations 3:24-32

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